Akintola: My ‘Àtúnse’ Agenda will Usher in All-round Development in Osun
Former Executive Chairman, Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Architect Olugbenga Akintola, is the Alliance for Democracy (AD) governorship candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State. In this interview with Jonathan Eze, Akintola
Why do you think you are the most suitable person to lead Osun State, especially in terms of academic qualification and experience? I trained academically as an architect with further specialisation in Project Management, Building Surveying, and Road Maintenance. My 30 plus years’ work experience is in the UK and Nigeria where I have served in senior positions requiring leading and motivating people to deliver quality results. Additionally, I am fortunate to have public service experience as a result of recognition of my professional competence by serving in the cabinets of the governors of Lagos and Oyo States. While what I have done in the past are good, the real question is how do these training and experience add value for the much-desired development of Osun State? My academic training conditions me to conceptualise, design, and build. Osun needs someone who can conceptualise a better future, design the steps to achieve such future, and together with the people construct a state that will be the envy of all Nigerians and beyond. In this construction, my training and work experience in Project Management implies attention to details in operation especially for monitoring and evaluation – this is important in service and program delivery in government. My public service experience enriched me to know that a chief executive's role is all about strategic visioning and assembling a competent team to deliver on results. Additionally, the international and national exposure, to which I was privileged, gives me a broader view of other comparative best practices that are relevant for moving our state forward for the betterment of our people.